


777

by cloudyaesy



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Anxiety, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Panic Attacks, Pining, Road Trips, Romance, Slow Burn, Underage Drinking, sapnap is the best as always, they’re both so dense, this fic is me projecting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:06:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27367015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cloudyaesy/pseuds/cloudyaesy
Summary: After a summer spent together, Dream, George, and Sapnap were going on a road trip. Texas to Florida, two weeks, and Sapnap's shitty soccer mom van. It was supposed to be their last big adventure before college, when Sapnap and Dream would go to Florida, and George would go to the UK. It was supposed to be fun and laid back.The only problem is, Dream isn't ready to let George go.
Relationships: Clay | Dream & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), GeorgeNotFound & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Karl Jacobs/Sapnap
Comments: 18
Kudos: 196





	1. and I’m feeling so sweet

**Author's Note:**

> Ever so slightly based off of 777 by joji. 
> 
> These are CHARACTERS, NOT REAL PEOPLE! Dream and George are real people, with real personal lives, and I do not condone shipping real people. :)

Loud pounding on his door ripped Dream from his sleep, and he fell from the almost-too-small bed to the ground with a painful thud. Rubbing his tailbone gently, he groaned and tilted his head back to see the small alarm clock on the dresser. The dim display read 6:22 in the morning, and the bright August sun that had just begun to shine through the curtained window attacked his adjusting vision. 

The banging on the wooden frame resumed, and Dream laid down with a groan.

"Dreeeaamm! C'mon man, get your ass up!" Sapnap yelled through the door, accenting his words with sharp hits.

"Sapnap, leave me alone." He grumbled in response, running a hand down the side of his face in a feeble attempt to wake up. 

"You have 5 minutes, then I'm coming in there and dragging you out myself." Sapnap warned, turning down the hall to go yell at George, who was sleeping on the couch in the living room.

Dream had originally won the 'odds are' game with George for the spare bedroom, but as he looked back to the tiny mattress, he wondered which one of them had really lost. 

Shaking his head, he scoured the carpeted floor for clean clothes, settling on a green and white hoodie and grey basketball shorts. He knew he'd regret the choice the moment he stepped out into the suffocating Texas summer heat, but for now it was good enough. As he pulled on his socks, he heard muffled screams coming from the living room, and smiled to himself when he recognized George's shrill shrieks. Sapnap wasn't kidding when he said he would drag them out of bed. 

With the smile came a pang of hurt, a feeling that had become well-known to him over the past months. He was excited for the road trip, few things sounded more fun to him than two weeks with his best friends travelling the country. But, after the road trip, George left. He and Sapnap had gotten lucky enough to figure out a college they could both go to in Florida, and while Dream was unbelievably happy that he would have his best friend, his brother, with him, the fact that George would not be there hurt more than he would care to admit. He understood that one summer could not and should not change George's entire life plans, and his home was the UK, but that didn't change Dream's wishes. Whenever he imagined his future, it was always him, Sapnap, George, and Bad doing something fun. If he closed his eyes, he could imagine it vividly.

_They were hanging out in a restaurant, warm lighting and loud laughter echoing throughout the building. Sapnap was play fighting with Bad, blowing the paper of his straw into the other man's face. Next to Dream, George was laughing along, face turning red from the strain on his lungs. As the laughter died down, George settled himself into Dream's side, grabbing his arm and draping it over his shoulders as he tilted his head into the nook of Dream's neck._

Dream snapped out of his daze, throat dry and hands shaking in their steel grip on his socks. The trip would only be harder if he couldn't get a grip on his emotions. 

He knew he had feelings for George, it would be pointless to try and deny it. He definitely had before, in fact he denied it up until the moment he saw the older man in person. George had dropped his bags at the airport upon seeing him and Sapnap, running at full sprint across the airport to practically tackle Dream. Sapnap had only laughed, grabbing George's neglected bags and making joking comments about the two. Dream hadn't heard him, though. He was too busy hyper focusing on the fact that he was hugging George, touching him for the first time. George fit into his arms perfectly, everywhere he touched was on fire, and Dream never wanted to let go. 

But he wasn't an idiot, he knew George was straight. And even if he wasn't... even if he wasn't. Dream couldn't go there. He couldn't let himself get his hopes up. He had to be realistic. College was a time of change, a time for new beginnings, and a long distance boyfriend in the states was the polar opposite of that. And he knew George, he knew how George acted with him, and he knew it did not line up with infatuation. 

Dream had honestly made peace with it, having the older man in his life as a best friend was more than enough, and he was thankful for what he got. He just needed to get his brain on board.

"Dream, I swear to god if you're not up..." Sapnap called from the hallway, stomping down towards the guest room once more.

Grabbing his bags, Dream spared a second to look at himself in the mirror, finger combing his messy hair as best he could and pushing his feet into his worn slides. 

"Quit your whining, Sapnap, I'm right here." He called, just as the younger man threw open the door.

Sapnap looked almost disappointed that he couldn't pull Dream by his feet and drag him out of bed, but that was quickly replaced by excitement.

"Ok guys, let's get this show on the road!" He said with a whoop, slapping Dream lightly on the back before running out of the room. 

Dream followed him, and when they both met George at the car, the man gave them one look up and down before scrunching up his nose.

"Socks and sandals? You guys are weird." He commented, sticking his tongue out when Sapnap flipped him off. 

"Says the guy wearing sweatpants in August." Dream teased.

George just huffed, rolling his eyes and getting into the backseat. After the vicious war in a McDonald's parking lot, it was unanimously decided that shotgun privileges were revoked. Dream and Sapnap would take turns driving, since George didn't have his license, and whoever was not driving had to sit in the back. Sapnap had the first driving shift, leaving Dream and George in the back along with the snacks. 

Easy conversation filled the first half hour of the drive, and when it died down, George tossed a bag of chips at Dream's face.

"Let's play Among Us!" George suggested, hooking his phone up to the car charger in the back. 

Dream rolled his eyes, throwing the chips back at George and logging onto the game.

"Fine, but first time I'm Impostor, you're dead."


	2. when I pretend that I’m your boyfriend

George sat curled up in the car seat, back against the window and eyes fixed on his phone. He switched from typing furiously to reading, brows seeming to furrow deeper with each passing minute. 

Curiosity getting the best of him, Dream leaned over and tried to get the man's attention.

"Geooorgee... What are you looking at?"

It was a harmless question, but George turned his phone away ever so slightly. Dream felt a tinge of hurt- at least it felt like hurt- fly through his chest. George didn't seem angry or offended, but the subconscious action did not go unnoticed.

"It's nothing." He said simply, turning off the phone and setting it in his lap.

When the phone continued to ping, he turned it on silent and shoved it under his seat.

"That doesn't look like nothing." Dream pressed, raising a questioning eyebrow.

With a sigh, the older man ran a hand through his short hair. Dream sat patiently, hoping he had persuaded the other enough to explain. He had a fatal curiosity streak, sue him.

"It's just this girl. I dunno."

Yeah, there was that hurt again. The dull throb turned into a pounding roar, drowning out his reality until he sat numb. A girl. A girl meant feelings. 

He knew he was overreacting. George wasn't his, nor was he an object to be won, and he was certainly not obligated to stay single. It was going to happen at some point. George was a good, attractive, funny person. It would be foolish to even assume he would stay single forever. And Dream didn't expect him to. But that little irrational pull in his mind, yanking on his heart strings constantly and letting his daydreams go ten steps ahead, that part had planted the seed that _maybe he would._ And now that string had been pulled too hard, too far, and his daydream came crashing down like delicate china on a shelf. 

"A girl, huh? How come we haven't heard about her?" Sapnap asked, rushing to cover for Dream's silence.

"Because it's nothing, I guess? I mean, I don't know. It's complicated." 

Complicated. They were complicated. 

Dream found himself running back what had happened like a recording, flicking through for details. George typing and reading those “complicated” messages. His rush to make sure Dream hadn’t seen. What had he said to her? What was he like with someone he had feelings for? What made them complicated? Did he text her sweet nothings to make her blush? Did he wish he was with her? 

He felt his throat go dry and his eyes go blurry. Taking a deep breath, he squeezed his water bottle to ground himself. 

"How's it complicated? You didn't seem too happy a minute ago." Dream asked, the words not sounding like his own as they left his mouth.

George's eyes widened ever so slightly, and he looked to Sapnap in the rear view window quickly before flicking them back to Dream. 

"I mean.. I..."

"Hey guys, guess what? We're at the hotel. Everyone out!" Sapnap announced, saving the moment once again.

Dream seized the opportunity, pushing open the car door and jumping out. If he seemed desperate to get out, he was. The air in the car was too heavy, too tight, and he just needed to get some fresh air. 

Sapnap unlocked the trunk of the van, lifting up the hatch to take out the baggage. George ran inside to grab a luggage cart. When he came back pushing one in front of him, Dream and Sapnap loaded their bags onto it. Once the cart was loaded, Dream moved to push it alongside George, but Sapnap motioned for George to go inside. George gave the two a questioning look, but went inside anyways. When Dream went to follow, Sapnap grabbed his arm to keep him in place. 

"Okay, what is going on with you?" Sapnap questioned.

"What?" 

"Dream, I'm not blind. You're acting weird as hell, dude. All angsty and quiet like someone just told you your cat died. What gives?" 

Dream shrugged.

"Dunno, nothing really."

"Is it George?"

He froze, mouth opening to protest. Before he could say anything, though, the other’s face lit up. 

"So it is! God, I knew it! Skeppy owes me 20 bucks now." Sapnap exclaimed.

"Dude, shut up! Seriously, I don't want him to know. It'll just mess this whole trip up."

Sapnap raised his eyebrows, holding back a laugh.

"Okay, okay, if you say so." He replied.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you think too much. And you're dense as hell. Talk to him, you idiot." He assured, patting Dream on the back.

"Sa-"

"What're you guys on about?" George asked, jogging over to them.

Sapnap turned his patting into one strong slap on the back, pushing Dream forwards.

"Nothin, just telling this idiot to loosen up." 

Dream scoffed. George looked at the two of them, eyebrow raised like he didn't quite believe Sapnap. Just as he was getting uncomfortable, George shrugged.

"Well, stuff's inside. What now?" He questioned.

Dream grabbed his phone and glanced at the time.

"It's only 10, let's just chill for a bit, then we can eat and go to the planetarium this afternoon." He suggested.

Sapnap gave a thumbs up and turned to head into the hotel. As he walked away, George moved to face Dream.

"What was that all about?" He asked.

"Dunno, honestly. Just Sapnap being weird, nothing new." Dream lied.

George laughed, shaking his head.

"Nothing new."

-

Their hotel room had two queen beds, and despite their request for a couch, the room was empty of one. Across from the beds stood a desk with a wheeled chair and pamphlets explaining amenities and room service. Next to the desk was a dresser with a small tv on top, along with a laminated sheet of available channels. The bathroom was surprisingly nice, with a wide sink and wall length shower.

"Dude, are you sure this place was only 90 dollars? It’s freaking massive." Dream asked, looking around the room with mild disbelief. 

"Yup, I'm just that good." Sapnap bragged, leaning back in the chair.

"Don't lie, Sapnap. We all know your mom booked this for you." George stated.

Sapnap gasped, moving his feet along the floor to wheel the chair over to the man. With the chair still rolling, he kicked the other's shin as hard as he could.

"Jesus, Sapnap!" George exclaimed, swatting him away.

Sapnap snickered, moving the chair back over to the desk. He stood up and placed his backpack on the seat of it, then looked to the other two with his hands on his hips.

"Okay, so who's bunking with me?" He asked.

Dream and George looked to each other with dread.

"No one, dude. You take up the whole freakin bed, and you snore." Dream snickered.

"Oh, I see how it is. You two wanna cud-"

Dream moved across the floor to tackle Sapnap onto the bed, knees on either side of his chest as he covered his mouth with both of his hands.

"You're a dumbass, and now you've lost speaking privileges." He teased.

Sapnap glared up at him, and Dream suddenly felt wetness on the palm of his hand.

"Sapnap! Ew!" He cried, jerking his hands away as he wiped off the spit onto the other's shirt.

"Then get off! Unless you wanted to cuddle with me, instead." He offered with a wink. 

Dream laughed, moving off Sapnap and back onto the floor. He looked over to George and saw him frowning at the two of them, brow furrowed again. When he caught Dream's gaze, he loosened his expression, going back to the blank and mildly amused one he had before. 

“Well, regardless of who’s sharing, I think it’s time for a nap.” Sapnap announced, stretching his arms above his head as he yawned. 

“Aww, Sappy want a nappy?” George cooed, only to get a pillow thrown full force at his face. 

Dream found himself yawning as well, his messed up sleeping schedule catching up with him. 

“Keep your socks on.” He muttered to George as he crashed onto the soft bed. 

He pretended not to hear Sapnap scoff into his pillow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have an obsession with parallels, so always keep an eye out for little details that will have a part to play later!


	3. are you lonely?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> so uh.... the dnf fic community right now am I right.

Dream awoke after just under two hours, barely feeling rested. Whispers crawled into the corners of his mind, siphoning away any hope he had at peace. Sapnap's words stuck with him, and he found himself working through their possible meaning over and over.

_"It means you think too much. And you're dense as hell. Talk to him, you idiot."_

The phrasing made him feel uneasy, like he was at the receiving end of some inside joke he had yet to understand. The way Sapnap had said it, like he knew something Dream didn't. He hated not being aware of everything, hated the feeling of knowing that pieces of the puzzle were missing and just out of reach. Sapnap had to know that. He had to be doing it on purpose. 

_He probably meant talk to him about the girl, not about you, moron._

Dream rolled onto his stomach and groaned into his pillow. Of course Sapnap meant the girl. He was an idiot. 

Propping his head up on his hand, he looked over at the other two, both still asleep. George was laying on his back, head turned to face away from Dream. One of his arms laid over his stomach, and the other framed his head. His chest rose and fell gently, and every once in a while he mumbled something under his breath. Sapnap, on the other hand, laid stomach down, face buried into the pile of pillows he had made. His arms were wrapped around them, and muffled snores could be heard from across the room. 

Dream looked back to George and felt a flower of warmth bloom near his heart. It made him feel like he was floating, for just a moment, like the jolt of an elevator when it first moved. It seemed unfair that he could simply sleep and make Dream feel too much, all at once. 

Smiling softly, Dream reached over and moved a stray piece of hair out of the man’s face. Fingertips brushed his forehead, then cheek, and a sparking trail of electricity sent tingles up his hand at the contact. George made a small noise, but didn’t turn away. 

He knew it was weird to watch someone sleep, but convincing himself to stop was an uphill battle. Dream found a sense of calmness in simply watching him. George’s fingers twitched against his stomach, and Dream felt the urge to reach out and hold them come and pass. He wondered what George was dreaming about. 

“Dude, seriously, you’re gonna make me lose my mind.”

Dream snapped his head up, making eye contact with a groggy Sapnap. The youngest had just woken up, bandana half off of his head and buried into his messy hair. He had red imprint lines on his face from the pillows, and he looked at Dream with a mixture of amusement and annoyance. 

“Then look away? I’m not even doing anything.” 

“You’re looking at George like he just asked you to marry him, and he’s just sleeping. Literally only sleeping.” Sapnap replied. 

“I’m just looking at him, Sapnap.”

“Well you’re looking at him like a simp. How you’ve managed to keep this a secret for this long is beyond me.” He stated matter-of-factly. 

“See, you’re only saying that because you-“

“You idiots are so loud, oh my god.” George complained, hiding his face under his arms. 

Dream felt a quick flash of cold panic run through him, turning his veins to ice and stopping his breath in his lungs. He prayed George hadn’t heard any of their conversation. Sapnap seemed unbothered. 

“Good, it’s about time you woke up, Sleeping Beauty. Now can we eat?” He asked. 

“I literally _just_ woke up, Sapnap.” 

Sapnap jumped up, running over with a pillow and hitting George in the stomach with it. 

“Time waits for no man, and I’m not waiting for you. Up and at ‘em, Georgie!” 

-

Because George never really had much exposure to classic American food, Dream and Sapnap put it upon themselves to give him the full experience. For starters, that meant picking the most American, unhealthy, and hugely portioned restaurants they could find. An essential place on that list was Breakfast Klub, a diner in Midtown Houston. It was modest place, with windows separated by walls of a mismatched stone pattern and a faded yellow strip of wall paneling lining the roof. A worn sign atop the building had old pictures of waffles and crepes, and small metal tables and chairs were placed around outside. 

"Dude, it's a good thing you're wearing pants with an elastic band." Sapnap smirked, placing a hand on George's shoulder.

"What? Why?"

Sapnap and Dream looked to each other, holding back laughter. 

"You'll see."

The inside of the restaurant was cozy, with warm lighting and dark wood interior. The far right wall was covered in a brick pattern, and assorted paintings and pictures hung on all sides. The three sat at a well used booth near the windows, and talked amongst themselves until a waitress brought them menus.

Brows furrowed, George looked at the menu with a frown. “Why is this spelled all weird?” 

Sapnap shrugged, eyes glued to his own copy. 

“No clue what you mean, buddy.”

“What do you me- Sapnap, there’s K’s everywhere!” George complained, slapping the laminated paper to the table and pointing at the words. 

Dream giggled, looking down at where George’s finger was pointing. 

_klub’s benedikt_  
_the kroissant_  
_chikin salad sandwich_

“I dunno what to tell you, George. That’s just how things are spelled here.” Sapnap explained, ignoring George’s baffled stare. 

“That’s not true and you know it.”

“No no, Sapnap’s right, George. It’s a way quicker way of spelling.” Dream provided, stifling a wheeze. 

“You guys are the worst. I already regret coming.” George huffed, rolling his eyes when the other two erupted into laughter. 

Once their fit died down, they ordered their food. When they got their plates, George eyed his with something akin to disbelief. 

“That’s... an awful lot of food.” 

Sapnap nodded, already digging his fork into his biscuits and gravy. 

Shoving a large piece of biscuit into his mouth, he pointed the empty fork at George. “Mmfh, ‘s the point.” 

“Sapnap, I swear to god.” Dream groaned.

Sapnap swallowed and turned to glare at him.

“Hey buddy, fuck off.”

Shaking his head and trying to hide his smirk, Dream turned back to George. 

“So, how do you like it?” 

George nodded, mouth full. After he swallowed, he gave a thumbs up. 

“Not bad. Although, I’m not sure I like omelets enough to eat this much of them.” 

“That’s why to go boxes are a thing.” Sapnap pointed out. 

George scrunched up his face in disgust. 

“Eggs are awful reheated.”

Dream looked down at his own omelet and decided he agreed. 

-

The thing about feelings, Dream found, was that they snuck up when he least expected it. It became second nature enough, over the summer, to suppress the little skip in his chest that he got whenever George was around. It was second nature to carefully tread the line between being friendly and flirting, joking and sincere. He knew the game well, knew the boundaries even better, and knew when to just stay silent. 

But fuck, if George didn’t make it hard. 

All things considered, he had been doing great. It hurt, a pushing pain in his chest similar to an emotional headache, constantly begging for attention. But Dream would gladly take that ache rather than deal with the possibility of losing George. Luckily, he naturally made suggestive jokes with almost all of his friends that were comfortable with it, which made it far easier to play off comments as simple teasing. 

But he could only do so much. And sometimes, no matter how much he gripped at them, little things slipped through the cracks like sand through his fingers. 

One of those things was the planetarium. 

The three of them had always shared a love for space, and during the summer together would often climb onto the roof of Sapnap’s house to watch the stars. When Sapnap found the planetarium on the list of attractions in Houston, the decision to visit it was unanimous. The planetarium itself was a smaller exhibit of a bigger natural space museum, a long hallway of screens that led into a dome shaped theatre of projections. The hallway only showed constellations and splatters of galaxies, but the dome created everything from distant solar systems to supernova simulations. 

The dome had a presentation every two hours, and their group had showed up half an hour before the next show. This led to them roaming the hallway of screens, pointing out constellations to kill time. 

“Dude, that one kinda looks like George’s mo- wait, hold on.” Sapnap cut himself off, pulling his vibrating phone out of his pocket. 

Putting it up to his ear, his voice became shushed as he turned away from the other two. Dream gave him a questioning look, but Sapnap shook his head. 

“Hey, what’s up? Hey.. hey.. it’s okay..” Sapnap trailed off, jogging down the hallway and turning into a dark side room. 

Dream watched him leave, a frown cemented on his face. Sapnap had been off lately, more secretive, cautious even. Dream knew they didn’t have to tell each other everything, but something about his best friend keeping something big from him made him uneasy. He made a mental note to confront him later and tucked it away. 

“Hey look, there’s Cygnus.” George commented, pointing to the top right corner of the ceiling screen.

Dream pointed as well, trying to guide his eyes towards what George was seeing with his own hand. 

George took hold of Dream’s wrist, moving it up and to the right. “No, no, there.” 

His grip loosened but lingered, and Dream felt the ache in his chest grow as the contact sent little pinpricks down his arm.

“Oh, yeah.” He cleared his throat. 

George hummed, dropping his hand down to his side. 

“You know, the story behind it’s sort of interesting; one of them, at least. It said that Phaeton and Cycnus were racing each other across the sky, but flew too close to the Sun. Their chariots burned up, and they fell down to the Earth. After they crashed, Cycnus found Phaeton’s body trapped at the bottom of the Eridanus River. He couldn’t reach the body, so he made a deal with Zeus. He said that if the god gave him the body of a swan, he would shorten his own life to a swan’s. Zeus agreed, and as a swan, Cycnus was able to dive into the river, get Phaeton’s body, and give his friend a proper burial. That let Phaeton’s soul travel to the afterlife. After Cycnus died, Zeus was so moved by his sacrifice that he put his image in the stars.” 

A beat of silence passed between them. 

“Obviously, it’s not real, but it’s kinda nice, I guess. Cycnus cared so much for Phaeton, that he would sacrifice his own life just so the other could go to the afterlife.” George muttered, still looking up at the screens. 

Dream felt his throat go dry, eyes fixed on George. The way the simulated light from the backdrop of space, contrasted by spots of light and splashes of colors, all mixed and illuminated around his frame. It made him seem ethereal, like the stars were a reflection of himself. And the story only dragged Dream in deeper. It felt personal, like a hushed secret shared between the two of them. It was just a constellation, a story thousands of years old, but it felt like George had told it for the first time. Like he had carved it into the sky, just for them. 

It consumed him, ripping the air from his lungs and the stability from his legs. 

“Dream? Did you even hear what I said?” George sighed. 

Dream quickly fumbled for an explanation. “No, no... I did. It’s just, a lot to take in. Kinda tragic, ‘ya know?” 

“How so?”

“Well, I mean, it shows how much he cares, but imagine being in that moment. The choice he had to make.” 

George hummed again. “I don’t think it was a choice at all.”

He turned to look at Dream. 

“I think, if it had come down to it, he would’ve done it again and again. A thousand times, an eternity, if that’s what it would’ve taken. When you love someone that much, it’s not really a choice, is it?” 

Dream felt his face grow hot, hands tingling and white hot spikes of raw emotion flickering where his heart sat beneath his ribs. 

He nodded. 

“It’s not a choice at all.”


	4. even if it is a crash course

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> tip of the iceberg baby

Throughout the whole planetarium exhibit, Dream could sense that the others’ minds were elsewhere. He already knew his own thoughts were racing a mile a minute over George’s story. His brain tended to floor the gas pedal on a train of thought, going until it crashed straight into a brick wall. 

He could already feel himself speeding up. 

Sapnap seemed to be in the same situation, though over what, Dream still didn’t know. The youngest’s leg was shaking, and he subconsciously bit on his thumb nail as he watched the screen. George was the hardest to read, as always. He didn’t handle confrontation well, and he handled unspoken tension even worse. He tended to close off and act like everything was okay until it suddenly wasn’t. He was pretending to be interested in the spectacle, but Dream could see the little signs that his focus wandered elsewhere. His eyes were slightly glossed over, and his slender fingers wound themselves around the strings of his hoodie. 

Dream raked a hand through his hair. If things were already bad, barely two days in, he couldn’t say he was looking forwards to the next week and a half. If he really boiled it down to the basics, he had two options: he could either feign ignorance and hope the situation sorted itself out, or he could dive headfirst and be confrontational. As always, his mind naturally leaned towards confrontation, but a small part of him stayed wary. Everything was so much more complicated than it needed to be, with too many little screws and pieces connecting each moving gear. And slid in between each of those parts was an onslaught of emotions waiting to cascade out at the slightest mishandle. 

If he wanted to work towards detangling the mess, he knew he needed to act cautiously. Strategically, the easiest first choice would be confronting Sapnap. The man was somehow the emotional gauge of the group, and if he was out of rhythm, their whole dynamic fell apart. Once that flame had been put out, Dream could get to work on the forest fire that seemed to be his emotions and George. 

He sighed in gentle relief, slumping down in his seat. Sketching out plans for his problems, analyzing where the conflict areas were and how to solve them, always soothed his rising anxieties. As the production was wrapping up, Sapnap’s phone rang again. The man practically jumped to answer it, quickly standing up and speed walking out of the theatre. George watched him go and looked over at Dream. 

“What is going on with him?” 

Dream shook his head. “You know as much as I do.” 

“So, nothing then?”

“Pretty much.” 

George sighed. “Well whatever it is, I hope he either lets us help or sorts it out himself. Sapnap and quiet are not two words that belong together.” 

Dream nodded, blinking furiously as the bright overhead lights turned on.

-

Dream and George searched the hallways for Sapnap on their way outside, only to find him pacing anxiously next to his car. 

“Dude, answer your phone!” Dream scolded, pointing to the multiple unanswered calls and texts to the other on his screen. 

Sapnap only pressed the power button of his own phone in response, showing the flashing empty battery sign. 

“We gotta go.” He said in a rushed tone. 

“What?” George asked, taking a step to be in line with Dream. 

“We’re leaving. Tomorrow.” 

“Well, yeah, that was the plan, right? Tomorrow is the aquarium and boardwalk, then we leave for Beaumont that evening.” Dream explained hesitantly. 

Sapnap shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck. 

“No. We leave for New Orleans tomorrow. We’ll get there by the afternoon.” 

Dream and George exchanged a shocked look. 

“Sapnap, what? That’s skipping like two whole places.”

“I know, I know. But we have to.” 

George took another step forwards. “But why? Sapnap, what’s going on?” 

Sapnap opened his car door with more force than necessary, letting out a sigh before turning back to face them. 

“I can’t- I- I’ll explain later.” He muttered before getting into the drivers seat. 

Dream and George stayed still for a moment more before getting in the car as well. 

The car ride back to the hotel was quiet, with even the usual obnoxious radio stations turned down to mute. Dream and George texted back and forth, apprehensive to break the dangerous silence hanging low and heavy. 

_**D:** dude wtf is going on _

_**G:** You think I have the answer to that? _

_**D:** well i know u don’t but we gotta do something _

_**G:** Like what? We can’t do anything if we don’t even know what’s wrong _

_**D:** then i guess we’ll have to find out what’s wrong. _

_**G:** Dream... _

_**D:** what? _

_**G:** nvm just don’t do anything dumb _

_**D:** I would never _

_**G:** Sure _

_**D:** dont you want to know too? _

_**G:** Not enough to push it _

_**D:** but what if it’s bad _

_**G:** If it’s bad then I’ll find out anyways _

_**D:** oh _

_**G:** I’m not saying I don’t care. _

_**D:** ik you’re not  
it’s fine _

When Sapnap pulled into their hotel parking spot, Dream signaled to George with his hand. He knew George wanted to help, but he also knew the other’s limits, as well as Sapnap’s likelihood to talk. A one on one conversation would be easier anyways. 

The moment George left the car, Dream leaped forwards into the front seat, locking the car doors as soon as he could reach the button on the side panel. 

“Dude, you know I can just unlock that right?” Sapnap sighed.

"Yeah, but we both know you won't."

Sapnap scrubbed his face with his hands, looking over at Dream with an exasperated and exhausted gaze. 

Dream placed a careful hand on his shoulder for a beat before letting it fall to rest on the center console. "Sapnap, what's going on? Seriously." 

Sapnap took a deep breath, looking away from him and out the front window. His hands moved to grip the worn leather steering wheel. 

"I'm talking to someone. Someone online." He almost forced out.

Dream tilted his head in confusion. "Okay... and? Sapnap, you do realize most of our friends are online, right?" 

Sapnap's grip tightened, a dry and humorless laugh leaving his throat. "No. _Talking_ , talking. Feelings, talking." 

Dream paused, taking a moment to let the realization process.

"Okay, I understand. Do you think anyone would care? That you needed to hide it?"

"No, no, it's not-" Sapnap took a deep breath, "he's in trouble."

"He?"

Sapnap jerked back defensively to look at him. "Yeah, he. So?"

Dream put his hands up in surrender. "Dude, hello? George? _Me?_ I was just surprised because you've never mentioned it."

Sapnap deflated. "I know, I know. Sorry. Just a little defensive, all things considered."

"All things considered?"

"The guy, his family, they're... weird. About that stuff. They found out. About us. I mean, there isn't an 'us' yet, not really, but there's enough. They're not happy. He got kicked out, and he's been couch surfing for the past couple nights. I just found out because he finally got his phone charged. He's in New Orleans. Dream, I- I have to go. If something happened..." Sapnap tensed up, slamming his palms against the wheel and jumping when a loud honk rang out.

"Hey, hey. Sapnap, it's okay. You should've let us help sooner, but it's okay. We can go. George will understand." 

Sapnap nodded, eyes trained on his lap.

Dream gave him a moment before continuing. 

"Why did you feel like you couldn’t tell us?” 

“It’s not that, it’s just... When it’s online, only online, people don’t take it seriously. Even if they say they do, they don’t. Everything apparently means less when it’s not face to face. And saying it’s only online makes it feel like it’s so much less than it really is. Like everything I’m feeling is a little less important than if it was in person. I know George feels that way, he’s mentioned it before, and I just... I didn’t want to hear it. Because it is. Real, I mean.” 

Dream felt a wave of nausea crash into the walls of his stomach. 

“George... George said that?”

Sapnap’s eyes flicked back up to the window. 

“I guess? Sorta. He said some stuff about it a while back. I think there was something else to it, though.”

“Why do you think that?”

Sapnap shrugged. “Dunno, just seemed upset. He said he didn’t think relationships meant anything if it wasn’t face to face. That like, if you’ve never even seen what someone looks like, you can’t claim to love them.”

Dream felt his mouth go dry. “Well... why would you think there’s more to that?”

Sapnap turned to him. “Because it sounded like he was trying to convince himself.” 

Dream was almost 95% sure his heart was ripping itself to shreds in his chest. 

His brain went haywire in 20 different directions, spewing out different ideas and explanations in a hurried frenzy. It all melded into an aggravating screech in his mind, nearing the edge of overwhelming. He forced himself to call in a rational third party. 

“Why was he convincing himself?”

Sapnap sighed. “Well, Dream, who’s face at the time had he not seen, that he had a real bond with?” 

The conveyor belt in Dream’s head froze. 

“Me.”

Sapnap laughed. “Yeah you, dummy. Now, can we please have this Dream crisis later? This is a Sapnap crisis moment.” 

Dream nodded and felt his own laughter bubbling out of his chest. “Of course, dude. My bad. When did you realize? I mean, is this a recent thing?”

Sapnap rubbed the back of his head. “I mean, I’ve always like.... liked guys? I mean girls too, but guys have always been somewhere in that mess. Karl’s just the first I’ve tried it with.” 

“His name is Carl? Seriously?”

“That’s Karl with a K, asshole. It’s cute.” 

“He’s your first though?” 

“Yeah, I guess. It just, I dunno, clicks.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter if he’s the first guy, only matters if he’s the right guy.”

Sapnap smiled softly. “I hope he is.”

Dream felt his heart warm with glowing fondness, and he outstretched his arms. 

"C'mere." He invited, noting the small grin form on Sapnap's face.

Sapnap all but leapt forwards, leaning over the center console to crash into Dream. He wrapped his arms around Dream's sides, and Dream pulled him close with his arms around Sapnap's shoulders. He breathed in the comforting smell of the youngest's hair, a swirling mixture of citrus and amber, with the slightest undertone of a campfire twisting around them. 

"I'm proud of you, dumbass." He murmured.

Sapnap smiled against his chest. "Me too."

-

As Dream predicted, George took the news well. The three of them sat on the messy hotel bed and formed an updated plan, with George taking messy notes on the back of the amenities booklet. Sapnap called the hotel they would miss to cancel the reservation, and complained about their refusal to refund once he hung up. 

Rolling his eyes, George took the budgeting notebook out of his bag, grabbing his pen to adjust the numbers. 

"Well, losing that deposit won't hurt us too bad, and we're gonna save some money by skipping the plans for the next two days. Sapnap, what's your plan for when we get to New Orleans?" 

Sapnap looked up at George, eyes wide. "Uhh..."

George groaned. "Have you really not made a plan?"

"Of course I have! It's just... unfinished."

George narrowed his eyes. "How unfinished?"

Sapnap rubbed the back of his neck. "I'd say uh... 90%."

George dropped the notebook onto the mattress. "Sapnap, you nimrod! What do you expect us to do when we get there... oh let's see... _Tomorrow?!_ " 

"Hey, I've got it handled! I'll probably just buy him a flight to his grandparents. They live in North Carolina, and they seem nice from what I've heard."

"Has Karl asked them if he can show up and move in? Have you even asked him to see if he _wants to?_ "

Sapnap ran his hands down his face. “George, chill. I’ve got this handled. Focus on the budget.”

George frowned but backed off, and Dream let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding in. 

_This is a mess._


	5. you needed something to believe in

In an attempt to cool down after his and George's disagreement, Sapnap escaped to the bathroom to shower. Dream and George were left in silence, awkwardly shifting atop the cheap sheets and stiff comforter. Dream could feel himself getting antsy, leg protesting its discomfort by shaking against the bed frame. 

George had already closed off, silently scrolling through random posts on his phone. A small musical note rang out, and Dream looked over to see the preview of a long text pop up at the top of the other's screen. George only sighed and turned off the device. With a creaky protest from the weak bed, he stood up and walked over to the small counter top that housed a mini fridge beneath it. 

Dream watched him with anxious anticipation. His fidgeting grew into something frantic, and he tuned all of his focus into the man crouched over the fridge. George, almost as though sensing his gaze, turned to look at him. When their eyes met, a small and easy smile crossed his face. In a sudden burst of self awareness, Dream felt his uneasy spiral pause. Why was he even nervous? He wasn't alone with a stranger, he was with his best friend. His person. There was nothing to be scared of.

Wiping his palms off onto his sweats, Dream strode across the room and leaned over the wooden counter to look down at him. 

"What'cha lookin' for?" He asked nonchalantly. 

George's eyes stayed trained on the contents of the fridge. "Milk."

"Hmm, how about hot cocoa?" Dream continued, resting his head in his head.

"I'm not looking for hot chocolate."

"Okay, but how about we have some anyways?" 

George looked up at him. "Fine. I'm not making it, though." 

Dream grinned, giving him a quick thumbs up before grabbing the box of packets off the counter. George silently pulled a stack of Styrofoam cups out from the cabinets and handed them to Dream, who set two aside and poured the packet's contents into them.

"Milk?"

George shrugged. "Don't have any."

Dream hummed a noise of disappointment, instead pouring faucet water into the cups. He turned and handed them to George to put in the microwave. As he took the cups, their fingers brushed momentarily. Dream felt a surge of heat flash through him, and his head went fuzzy. He took a small step back to shift his weight, forcing himself to keep his breathing steady. It felt so intimate, alone together as the early tendrils of moonlight trickled in through the blinds, making hot cocoa. But as quick as it had started, the moment passed. George carried on like normal, placing the contents on the tray and setting a timer. Dream found himself slightly more disconsolate. The thought briefly danced through his mind that Styrofoam was not meant to be microwaved, but his brain was too busy rewiring itself for him to take much notice. 

He felt sick to his stomach. Being around George felt like he was trapped on an ice coated lake, barely stable on the surface. His weight was too much, and the ice was cracking beneath him. Small bubbles sprung up from between the harsh white lines, the dark and murky waters below growing restless in their attempts to swallow him whole. He kept trying to move to escape, to do anything to go back, but every movement made the ice break further. At some point, it would completely shatter, and he would be plunged into the freezing depths. 

As George handed him a steaming cup, he found the words tumble off his tongue before he could even consider them. 

"Let's go look at the stars." 

George tilted his head. "Is it clear outside?"

Dream didn't know. "Yeah. Can we, please?" 

George nodded, sipping the drink. Dream left his cup on the counter and led the way, grabbing the spare room card. He opened the door, and after George slipped past him, he locked it behind them. Quickly pulling out his phone, he typed a quick message to Sapnap.

_**D:** going w George to look at the stars. Come up when you're done? _

When Sapnap didn’t respond, he put the device away and followed George up the flights of concrete stairs. At the top, George pushed open the heavy door separating them from the calm night, ignoring the sign prohibiting unauthorized access. The roof was quiet and empty, the only company being the gentle rustle of leaves from nearby trees and whatever murmurs of conversation floated up from the parking lot below.

George wrapped his arms around himself, setting his cup on the ground and taking a seat on a muddy green power box. Dream leaned back on it, hissing as the cold metal seeped through the thin fabric of his shirt. 

He supposed he had used the stars as an excuse. He was desperately clawing at something, anything, he wasn't even sure what. He simply knew that at its core was George. He wanted, more than anything, to leap over those carefully constructed walls George put up. To go inside the barriers, and marvel at the haven he knew lied within. And sometimes, for a moment, he thought he had. During late night voice calls, when insomnia and the adrenaline high of a recently ended game swirled into something amazing, something he cherished.

George with his walls down was the George he could never get enough of. He longed for it, and when he finally got a taste, he treasured it. When it left, he found himself saying and doing anything to try and bring it back; through stupid jokes and half-assed flirting to try and coax that freeness out of his friend. 

He was still mentally reeling from the conversation at the planetarium, from the unguarded side of George that had willingly shown itself to him. He still felt his stomach go light when he remembered the gentle words, unlike anything he'd ever heard from the other. George normally was more hyper, more funny, and more sincere when he was the real him. But that? That had been a tender, adoring George remarking on a story close to his heart. And that, Dream decided, was something he longed for more than anything. 

Which was why, he assumed, he had led them up to the roof. A feeble attempt to unlock that side of him once again through the night sky. 

"I don't want to leave." 

The words sent a shock down his spine, quick and almost painful, and he turned to face the shorter man. 

"What?" 

George didn't meet his stunned gaze, eyes fixated on the pinpricks of light above. "I don't want to leave you guys."

"Then don't."

George stayed quiet, and Dream felt his chest twist into a pit of black and agony. 

"I can't." He finally replied, voice barely above a whisper.

"I know. I just want you to."

George sighed. "I want too much."

Dream took a moment to still his breath. "What do you want, George?"

For a moment, he thought George had an answer. The other looked up at him, eyes full of some emotion he couldn't quite pin down. His lips parted ever so slightly, like the words about to leave them were full of weight and took time to speak into existence. But then, they sank into a frown. He broke his gaze away and down to the ground. The walls were back up, and Dream felt nothing but the loss and the cold.

He knew it was foolish, but he chased after George, hoping to beat the last of his defenses in their race to return. 

"Don't you have anyone to look forwards to back home? A girlfriend?"

George snapped his head up, and Dream felt the ice shudder again.

"A girlfriend? What?" His eyes were replaced with a new kind of emotion, one that looked like surprise and something akin to hurt.

Dream frantically backtracked. "I mean, didn't you say you were talking to a girl?"

George stared at him in silence for so long he began to wonder if he had even said anything at all.

"No, she's not my girlfriend. I don't- she's not. She's a friend. I'm just helping with... with some stuff she has going on." 

“With what?”

“Her uh... her friend wants to come to my university second semester as a foreign exchange student. I’m helping her sort out the application process.” His words came out even and careful, as though he planned the response. 

“Oh...”

Dream was surprised the sickly feeling that had clung to him since he first saw the texts didn't leave him. Instead, it twisted into something terrible. 

He wanted. 

Turning towards George, he enveloped the other in a tight hug. He wrapped his arms around the shorter's shoulders, holding him like he was the last solid, perceivable thing left. At first, George was stiff, and Dream thought he would pull away- that he had just created another wall. But hesitantly, George pushed his arms up in between the warmth of Dream's torso and tight hold, and wrapped them around Dream's back. Dream buried his head into George's shoulder, wishing to simply exist in that one moment, that one feeling, for the rest of time. Gripping the loose fabric of the other’s shirt, he took a deep, shaky inhale, feeling his head grow light at the overwhelming cologne he couldn’t place. He felt whole, like that burning, hopeless ache could finally subside into something calm. George hummed a soft noise, taking a deep inhale.

"It's getting cold. We should go back downstairs." George breathed into his chest, retracting his arms.

Dream nodded, ignoring the screaming emptiness that immediately washed over him the moment they parted. The pool of calm subsided, and harsh waves of uneasiness took their place. He hated how immediate the reaction was, how suddenly alone and lost he felt. How much he longed for the other, how terribly his heart clenched in his chest at the thought of him. 

As George headed towards the door, Dream had a horrible realization that sunk into the pit of his soul like a heavy weight.

The ache would never leave him.

He didn't register the stairs, the warm rush of air that almost suffocated them when they entered the building. He barely noticed Sapnap already asleep. He made no comment when lying down, when George sighed and settled into the warm blankets next to him. 

Everything blurred together into streaks of color and muffled sounds, a dull murmur that served as a background hum for the raging nightmare he felt. Black and red gnawed at the corners of his mind, fraying and ripping at the loose threads that held him together.

That thought hurt so bad, so deeply, that he laid awake for the rest of the night.

The next morning, the three grabbed breakfast from a bland fast food chain and headed towards New Orleans. It was Dream’s turn to drive, so his unusual quiet was assumed to be focus. He stared straight ahead at the endless road, as soft melodies played from the stereo, and thought only of the ache. They paused at two rest stops along the way, and George and Sapnap both chose to get out and stretch their legs. Dream, on the other hand, sat in the car in silence. He switched between feeling everything, and feeling nothing at all. When he felt everything, the world was too bright, pulsing painfully and screaming for attention. He begged for the numbness, yet when the waves of grey pulled him under, he felt broken. The moment he could no longer take the silence, he was dragged back up to the bright surface, and the cycle began anew. By the time they reached the city, all he felt was indifference. 

Sapnap practically leapt out of the car once it had been parked at a curbside, frantically texting Karl that they had arrived. George hesitated halfway out of the vehicle, turning back to Dream. 

“Are you okay?” He asked gently, face twisted in thought like he already knew the answer. 

Dream grinned. “Always.” 

George gave a low noise and a small nod before closing the door behind him. 

Dream turned off the car, leaning back in his seat and giving himself a moment to breathe. If he could just get through the next week, he could take a break and process everything the summer had dropped on him. If he could just last a little longer, everything would hurt a little less. All he had to do was keep it together. He could do that. 

Checking his hair in the rear view mirror and quickly running his hands through it, he gave a toothy smile to the reflection. He possessed a secret talent when it came to coping; there sat a little room in his chest, deep and locked away, where he put the things that he couldn’t handle. Once tucked away, he could exist in peace. 

He successfully shoved everything labeled “George” in the space, and threw the key into the inky darkness. 

One more week.


	6. blame it on me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> don’t drink and simp

As soon as Dream stepped out of the car, he rushed to catch up with the other two. Sapnap was glued to his phone, George having to grab his shoulders and redirect him every couple of paces so he didn't run head first into strangers in the bustling crowd.

"Sapnap, where the hell are we going? Did Karl even give you the name of this place?" George complained, dragging his feet against the concrete. 

Dream fell in step beside them, peeking over Sapnap’s shoulder to see the dim screen. From his angle, the sun shined almost directly onto the device, and he could barely make out a low quality navigation app. Sapnap, though, followed it religiously, eyes trained on the screen and turning sharply when the monotone software voice instructed him to. 

It was an aggravating thing to follow, especially with the streets as crowded as they were. After the sixth time Sapnap almost bulldozed over someone, the older two found their patience wearing thin. 

"Sapnaaap, we-"

"Sapnap?" A silvery voice cut off George's whining, and Sapnap's head jerked up from his phone to locate it.

"Karl!!" He yelled, his own voice rising an octave in his excitement. 

He ran off, forcing the other two to chase after him. When they caught up, they saw Sapnap pick Karl up for a tight hug, squeezing the man and lifting him off the ground a good couple of inches. They stayed intertwined for an awkwardly long time, and George and Dream were just about to walk away and give the two some privacy when they parted. They stayed close, giggling and whispering between themselves, and Dream didn't miss how Sapnap's hand lingered on Karl's waist.

George cleared his throat. "Sapnap, show and tell what you brought to class." 

Sapnap flipped him off, turning around with a hand on Karl's back.

"Karl, this is Dream and George, I told you about them, right?" 

Karl nodded, a wide smile on his face as he waved at the two. He stood just slightly shorter than Sapnap, an oversized sweater decorated with oddly colored bees all but swamping his frame. 

"And we already know _plenty_ about Karl, don't we?" Dream teased.

It was a blatant lie, the two knew next to nothing about Sapnap’s... whatever he happened to be... but it was worth the deception to see the flash of embarrassment cross their friend’s face. 

Sapnap glared daggers at him, face tinted pink as he cleared his throat. “Anyways... where are we going again?”

Karl looked at him questioningly for a moment, then suddenly his eyes lit up with recognition. 

“Oh! Right here!” He announced, turning around and pointing towards the building behind them. 

A bright red sign with the neon words _Bourbon Heat_ blinked obnoxiously at them. 

“That doesn’t look like a restaurant.” George noted warily. 

Sapnap and Karl giggled softly to each other. 

“Of course it doesn't. You think we’d go this whole trip without fucking around?” Sapnap asked, a borderline evil grin plastered on his face. 

“Sapnap, you do realize we’re all under 21, right? George isn’t even from here.” Dream objected.

“Don’t worry so much about the little things, Dream! Live a little.” The youngest assured, putting an arm around Karl's shoulders and walking into the place. 

George gave Dream a confused look, silently asking him to take the lead. He frowned, tossing the options back and forth in his head. Sapnap had been giving him shit about being too in his head the entire trip, and deep down, Dream knew he was right. He still had yet to come to terms with the fact George was leaving in a week, a task that would almost certainly drain him of all positivity. Maybe drinking would help him loosen up. 

“I mean... we wanted to have fun, right?” 

“Dream-“

“C’mon, George. If you hate it, we'll leave. Promise.” He pressed, holding the door open and waiting for the other man to make up his mind. 

George huffed and walked inside. 

-

Once they entered the main lobby, Karl happily explained to them that his friend owned the establishment, letting them get in easily. When they went through a second smaller entrance, a man dressed in dark clothes with an intimidating stature gave them all one look up and down and drew a black x on each of their hands, signaling to a bartenders that the group could not drink. Sapnap complained about it, until Karl took them into the bathroom and showed them a trick to get rid of the mark. They watched in a mixture of excitement and amusement as Karl worked the marker off with a paper towel and small container of rubbing alcohol from his pocket.

"See? All good!" He exclaimed with a smile.

"I think I could kiss you right now." Sapnap muttered, admiring his newly blank hand. 

Dream let out a wheezing laugh, wiping off his hand with a dry towel and following the other three out into the main area. The building was divided into two rooms, one side being a bumbling restaurant with string lights and wooden interior. The other half was a bar and club area, with bright lights flashing and loud music that shook the floor with its intensity. People sat at the bar and crammed onto the floor, moving up and down with the noise. 

They migrated to a small table in the corner of the club side, watching as Sapnap went to order them drinks. Dream waited for him to get caught, but soon he came back with a tray full of shot glasses and a wide smile on his face.

"Man, this is fucking awesome!" He exclaimed, setting the tray down and passing out the glasses.

Dream looked at the liquid questioningly, slightly off put by the bright, unnatural blue color. Everyone else paid the contents of the cups no mind and downed them in one go. Dream sighed and followed them. The alcohol sent shivers down his spine as it settled into a pool of tingly fire in his stomach, and he shook his head as a sickening burn started in his nose and trickled down his throat. Once the reaction subsided, he reached for another. The second went down slightly easier, and he needed barely any time to recover before taking a third and fourth. 

His mind slowed to the pace of warm honey, just teetering over the edge of tipsy. He prided himself on being a heavyweight, but he supposed his lack of food intake contributed to how easily he was swaying over the line of sobriety. He had only taken a few of the shots, yet his body already buzzed with the pleasant waves of heat they brought.

George and Karl both seemed to be lightweights, faces flushed red and laughing at every little thing. Sapnap got lucky enough to be the middle ground, just heavyweight enough he could hold his own. He was giggly as well, standing next to Karl as the two muttered among themselves. 

"Dream! It's your turn to go get more!" George yelled, leaning over the table with sloppy movements. 

He stretched over to Dream and settled his hands onto the the others biceps, digging his long fingers into the fabric and flesh that resided there. Dream looked up to meet his eyes and frowned. George drunk was something he hadn’t experienced yet, in person anyways, and he wasn’t sure how he felt about it. All of George’s defenses were weakened, to say the least, and the leftover result was a loud, easily excitable version of his friend. Even though he had been happy at the carefree attitude before, when it stemmed from intoxication it felt less genuine and more like he was taking advantage. 

"You guys sure?" He asked carefully.

"Dream, don't be a pissbaby. Go get 'em." Sapnap chirped, patting him on the back.

George removed his hands from Dream’s arms and all but bounced back on his heels.

He sighed, going over to the bar and ordering another tray of drinks. This time, instead of the mystery blue liquid, he ordered simple, familiar tequila. After the barista handed them to him, he brought them back to the table and passed them out just as Sapnap had.

The tequila shots hit harder, going down angry and like fire. His light buzz turned into a full on intoxication, head spinning and movements uncoordinated. The rest of them were no better off. Sapnap leaned over Karl, resting an arm on the table as he spoke. He was barely taller than Karl, but the man managed to position himself so he was a good two inches above him. Karl was deep crimson, eyes wide and a small smile turning up the corners of his mouth.

George paid them no attention, downing the remaining few shots left at the table. He sputtered after the last one, covering his mouth with his arm as he coughed. Dream looked over at him in mild concern, but the man just threw his hands up and laughed. He turned around and inserted himself into the conversation of the strangers at the table behind them, and Dream rolled his eyes and turned to the bar. He took a seat, asking the barista for a random mixed drink that looked mildly appealing. As he waited for it to be made, he scanned the room for his friends.

George was giggling with the strangers, who were all talking loudly and laughing with him. Sapnap and Karl were on the main floor, and Dream had to squint to make them out. The room was illuminated by black light, and neon face paints and clothes made people stick out and blend together in a glowing frenzy. The whole thing made Dream's eyes burn, but after a bit his vision adjusted and he could spot familiar faces. Somehow, a streak of neon pink had smeared it's way onto Sapnap's face, which was leaned in close to Karl's ear as he spoke. There was no way Dream could even attempt to hear what he was saying with the loud music, but judging by the way Karl had his arms wound around Sapnap's neck and he had his hands resting on Karl's sides, he couldn't imagine it was anything but sweet words. 

It sent the aching feeling rushing through his chest again, and he grabbed the drink the barista had just placed on the counter with more force than necessary. He downed it in one sip, barely even noticing the stinging flavor it left behind. When it was empty, he asked for another. The moment he finished the second one, he felt a light tap on his shoulder.

"Dreeeeaammm." George crooned, placing his arms onto the bar counter and resting his head on top of them. 

"Yeah?"

"Whatcha doinn? You sick of us?"

Dream shook his head, turning to the barista to order another drink. She gave him a suspicious look, but moved to make it all the same.

"Just tryna loosen up."

"Well... uh.. don't get too loose, ya know? 'S not good." He tried to explain, words slurred.

Dream nodded, eyes darting from George to Sapnap and Karl once again. George followed his eyes, making a gentle noise of surprise.

They looked just in time to see the two in the middle of a heated exchange, Sapnap’s hands tangled into Karl’s hair, and Karl’s hands fisted in the loose fabric of Sapnap’s shirt. When they parted, Karl looked at him with wide eyes, a faint smile resting on his face. The neon paint had strayed to Karl's mouth, and Sapnap pushed it away with his thumb, slowing down as it ran over the other's parted lips.

Dream felt his body go tense. He knew he was being immature and jealous, but the drinks had done a brilliant job at clouding his judgement enough that he didn't care. It hurt so bad that Sapnap got that, got what he had been longing for. Why could Sapnap have it, but he couldn't? What did he have that Dream didn't? Why couldn't he hold George like that, kiss George like that, talk to him like that? What had he done so wrong for it to turn out so terrible?

Heart pounding, Dream downed the third drink and stood to his feet. His balance was off, the room was spinning, and George was watching him with a tense gaze.

"Let's go dance." He announced, moving to take George's hand.

"Hold on," George replied, grabbing a stray drink from their table and finishing it off. 

Dream led them to the right side of the floor, far enough away from Sapnap and Karl that they wouldn't try to start a conversation. He just needed a fucking break, just for five minutes. Not from Sapnap, but from the intoxicating happiness pouring off of him. He wanted to find comfort in the fact that the youngest was happy, but it just hit too close to home for him to handle.

George was moving sloppily, dancing to the music as he looked to Dream and giggled. Dream felt his chest squeeze and clench at the smile plastered on the other’s face. It was mesmerizing, and the happy noise leaving him was something Dream would do anything to hear for the rest of his life. He moved a step closer to George, and slowly tried to get a feel for the beat of the song. George giggled again, this time more of a light laugh, and placed his hands on Dream's shoulders.

"You're such an idiot." Dream muttered, moving his hands down to the other's sides.

He placed them against the fabric of his shirt gently, high enough they were touching stomach more than hips. He tensed, waiting for the man to recoil or move away. But George didn't. He just smiled, continuing to sway back and forth as he danced terribly. 

"Dream?" 

"Yeah?"

"This trip's been really, really nice. This whole summer has. I can't believe I'm here with you. I mean, all of you. 'S been one of the highlights of my life, I think. But- but also the worst. Not ‘cause of you, but because of how much ‘m gonna miss you." George confessed, looking up to him.

The words knocked the air out of Dream's lungs. He was frozen, every contact point he had with George sparking like flint against steel. George was peering up at him through thick lashes, eyes dark and glossed over from the alcohol and a light tinge of pink dusting his face. The flashing lights illuminated his features, and he was still looking up at him. 

God, he was pretty.

Not even in an objective view, or personal opinion. He just simply was. The color of his irises were so rich, how could any eyes be that deep? Dream felt like he was drowning in them. His hair fell perfectly around his face, even as messy and sweaty as it was from dancing. He had freckles; they were light enough Dream had never noticed them until they met in person, but once they caught his attention, he never wanted to forget. His arms were still around Dream’s shoulders, hands meeting loosely behind his neck. 

He was _still_ fucking looking up at him.

"Dream, I-"

Dream cut him off, leaning down to press his lips to the other's. Removing a hand from George's side, he lifted it up to cup the back of his head. George's fingers twitched against his neck, almost as if to reach out and grab it. 

He didn't even realize what he was doing until he was already in the middle of it. His mind was racing at full speed, screaming at him. The intoxication muffled the noise, and instead he focused on the fireworks he felt in his chest. His mouth tasted like the alcohol they had consumed, bitter and sharp. George's lips slotted perfectly against his own, and he was sure he had never felt anything like it. He never wanted to feel anything else.

George made a soft noise when the younger bit at his bottom lip, and Dream felt sparks radiate from his stomach out to his hands and knees. He shivered, pushing into the kiss further. Almost without his own recognition, his hand slipped under the fabric of the other’s shirt, cool fingertips meeting the harsh contrast of warm skin with a muffled hiss from covered mouths. 

And then his brain hit the wall. 

He pulled back, realizing with a sickening drop of his heart the implications of what he had done. George was the frozen one now, mouth still ever so slightly open as he stared at Dream with an indistinguishable look plastered on his face.

"Dream-"

He ripped his hands from George, taking a wobbly step back as he felt blood rushing to his head. His hands and legs were shaking, his breaths were coming in funny, and everything was spinning. 

Taking one look to the shorter man, Dream bolted. 

If George called for him, he didn't hear.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time ever posting my writing online so I am about to go absolutely feral with anxiety. Feel free to leave feedback though! 
> 
> Updates will be unscheduled and unpredictable, because school, work, and terrible writing habits.


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